Our Digital Curriculum Library
Learn in All 7 Learning Styles
Welcome to the Ancient America Adventure Box
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Ultimate Guide to Ancient American History
Extra Crafts
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Heroes and Villains Series
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WEEK 1: Living Books
North America
Paleo-Indians, Arctic peoples, Adena and Hopewell, Poverty Point, Great Basin, Plateau, and Northwest Coast cultures
K–5th Grade
• If You Lived With the Iroquois by Ellen Levine – While focused on later groups, it offers useful parallels in daily life and tradition.
• The Very First Americans by Cara Ashrose – A gentle introduction to prehistoric North American peoples.
• Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac – A story rooted in Haudenosaunee tradition; great for illustrating cultural continuity.
• Houses of Snow, Skin, and Bones by Bonnie Shemie – Describes architecture of Arctic and Subarctic peoples.
• The First Dog by Jan Brett – A beautifully illustrated fictional account set in prehistoric North America.
6th–8th Grade
• The World of the American Indian by National Geographic – Richly illustrated with cultural context and archaeological evidence.
• The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations (We Thought of It) by Alootook Ipellie - Today’s Arctic communities have all the comforts of...
• Poverty Point: A Terminal Archaic Culture of the Lower Mississippi Valley by Jon L. Gibson (abridged excerpts or discussion-based use).
9th–12th Grade
• 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann – A game-changing overview of complex ancient American societies.
• Ancient North America by Brian M. Fagan – Academic but accessible, rich in archaeological insights from all regions.
• Mysteries of the Hopewell: Astronomers, Geometers, and Magicians of the Eastern Woodlands by William F. Romain– Found under the ground...
Chapter #2: The Arctic Culture
Video Lesson
Week #1 - Source and Primary Documents
These are the closest things to "firsthand" accounts for many Native cultures, oral histories, European records, and indigenous records.
1. Traditional Narratives and Oral Histories
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American Indian Myths and Legends by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz - A respected collection of traditional tales from tribes across North America, compiled from oral histories.
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Creation Myths of Primitive America by Jeremiah Curtin (1898) - Early collection of Native myths from the Pacific Northwest and California tribes—compiled by a folklorist working directly with Native informants.
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In the Words of Elders: Aboriginal Cultures in Transition by Peter Kulchyski, Don McCaskill, and David Newhouse - A modern collection of interviews and narratives from Native elders, especially Inuit and northern cultures.
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The Book of the Hopi by Frank Waters (with Hopi interpreter Oswald White Bear Fredericks) - A transcription of Hopi oral tradition, cosmology, and cultural practices from a respected Native source.
2. Archaeological and Anthropological Reports (Highly Reliable Secondary Sources with Primary Data)
A. Poverty Point and Mound Builders
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Poverty Point: A Terminal Archaic Culture of the Lower Mississippi Valley by Jon L. Gibson - One of the definitive archaeological studies on Poverty Point culture with firsthand data from excavations.
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The Mound Builders: Ancient Peoples of Eastern North America by George R. Milner - Based on archaeological evidence about the Adena and Hopewell peoples, including excavation details and mound mapping.
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Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes of Ohio: More Than Mounds and Geometric Earthworks (National Park Service) - Available as a PDF through the National Park Service, this is a primary document of modern research and Indigenous consultation.
B. Arctic and Subarctic Cultures
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The Eskimo About Bering Strait by Edward W. Nelson (Smithsonian Bureau of Ethnology, 1899) - A classic ethnographic primary source based on late 19th-century observation and dialogue with Inuit communities.
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Hunters of the Northern Ice by Richard K. Nelson - A detailed ethnographic narrative based on the author's fieldwork with Alaskan Iñupiat in the 1960s–70s.
3. Government and Institutional Archives
Many original reports, treaties, and ethnographic studies are accessible online or in university libraries.
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American Memory Project – Library of Congress - https://memory.loc.gov - "Indian Tribal Histories", and "Edward Curtis Collection."
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Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) - https://americanindian.si.edu
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Bureau of American Ethnology Annual Reports (1879–1965) - Many are digitized on archive.org or the Smithsonian's website.
4. Historic Maps and Visual Sources
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"Early Maps of the Americas" – Library of Congress Digital Collections - Maps showing tribal boundaries and archaeological sites.
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The Curtis Collection (Edward S. Curtis’ photographs and recordings, 1900–1930) - https://curtis.library.northwestern.edu
5. Scholarly Compilations of Native Texts and Transcriptions
Chapter #7: Major Ancient Civilizations in Mesoamerica
Video Lesson
WEEK 2: Living Books
Mesoamerican Cultures
Topics: Olmec, Maya, and Aztec Civilizations
K–5th Grade
• The Hero Twins: Against the Lords of Death by Dan Jolley – A graphic novel adaptation of the Mayan Hero Twins myth.
• Aztec, Inca, and Maya: An Eyewitness Book by Elizabeth Baquedano – Great for visual learners with hands-on artifacts.
• The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss by Sally Schofer Mathews – Told from an Aztec perspective.
• Rain Player by David Wisniewski – A vibrant story introducing the Mayan ballgame and beliefs.
• You Wouldn’t Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice! by Fiona MacDonald – Combines humor and facts to explain Aztec ritual.
6th–8th Grade
• Middleworld (The Jaguar Stones series) by J&P Voelkel – Adventure fiction deeply embedded in Mayan mythology and culture.
• The Ancient Maya by Jackie Maloy – Informative and readable with strong visuals.
• The Olmec: America’s First Civilization by Richard A. Diehl (selected chapters or adapted versions) – Deeper archaeological insight.
9th–12th Grade
• Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman’s Path by David Freidel – A comprehensive, mythological exploration of Maya life.
• The Aztecs: A Very Short Introduction by David Carrasco – Scholarly yet brief; excellent for high school students.
• Breaking the Maya Code by Michael D. Coe – Focuses on linguistics and Mayan script; thrilling for budding historians or code-breakers.
Chapter #8: Olmec Civilization
Video Lesson
Week #2 - Source and Primary Documents
1. Mesoamerican Codices (Surviving Indigenous Books)
These are some of the only surviving pre-Columbian or early post-contact manuscripts written in pictographic or hieroglyphic script:
Codex Mendoza (c. 1541)
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A richly illustrated Aztec codex created after the conquest to explain Aztec culture to Spanish officials.
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Includes: Daily life, tribute system, conquests, education, and rituals.
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Where to Find: Digital facsimile: Bodleian Library, Oxford
Codex Borgia
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One of the most beautiful and complex Mesoamerican codices, likely pre-Columbian.
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Focuses on: Religion, calendar, gods, omens, and rituals.
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Where to Find: Full color facsimile available from the Vatican Library and online at FAMSI
Dresden Codex (Maya)
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A pre-Columbian Maya book that survived Spanish destruction.
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Includes: Astronomy, almanacs, rituals, eclipse predictions.
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Where to Find: Scanned edition with commentary: FAMSI Dresden Codex
2. Inscriptions and Stelae (Especially for the Maya)
The Maya left thousands of stone inscriptions, temple texts, and stelae with hieroglyphic writing:
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Maya Hieroglyphic Text Database (MHTD): A project collecting translations and glyphs from monuments
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Copán and Palenque Inscriptions: Many of these monuments have been translated by epigraphers and are available in museum archives and journals.
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Diego de Landa’s Transcriptions (See Below)
3. Colonial Transcriptions of Indigenous Histories: Spanish priests and chroniclers preserved a significant amount of Indigenous oral history—some respectfully, others with bias. These are semi-primary sources but still extremely valuable:
Popol Vuh (K’iche’ Maya) - The sacred book of the K’iche’ Maya, recounting their creation myth, heroic twins, and early history. Written down in Latin script.
The Annals of the Cakchiquels - Historical and mythological account of the Cakchiquel Maya of Guatemala. Offers insight into politics and Spanish conquest.
Florentine Codex (Aztec/Mexica) - Compiled by Fray Bernardino de Sahagún with Nahua informants after the Spanish, and https://florentinecodex.getty.edu
Relación de las Cosas de Yucatán by Diego de Landa (1566) - Spanish bishop who documented Maya customs and rituals—the burning original codices.
4. Archaeological Reports and Epigraphy Databases
FAMSI – Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies - http://www.famsi.org
Mesoweb - http://www.mesoweb.com
Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute (PARI) - http://www.precolumbian.org
5. In Their Own Words – Indigenous Accounts of the Conquest
The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
Chapter #13: The Northeast tribes of South america
Video Lesson
WEEK 3: Living Books
South American Native Tribes and Cultures
Topics: Inca Empire, Mapuche, and Other South American Tribes
K–5th Grade
• Up and Down the Andes by Laurie Krebs – A colorful introduction to Andean geography and Incan legacy.
• The Secret of the Andes by Ann Nolan Clark – Historical fiction touching on Incan past and modern Quechua life.
6th–8th Grade
• The Last of the Incas by Edward Hyams – A narrative retelling of conquest and resistance, tailored for middle readers.
• Ancient Inca by Michael Burgan – Part of the "Ancient Civilizations" series; informative and engaging.
• The Mapuche in Modern Chile by Joanna Crow – Though modern, includes useful cultural and historical background.
9th–12th Grade
• The Last Days of the Incas - By Kim MacQuarrie – A visually rich, narrative-driven resource.
• The Incas by Terence D’Altroy – Excellent scholarly work written in an approachable tone.
Chapter #14: Mapuche (Argentina)
Video Lesson
Week #3 - Source and Primary Documents
1. Quechua and Inca Empire Primary Sources
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The Huarochirí Manuscript (c. 1608) - A Quechua-language account of Andean mythology, religious practices, and oral traditions compiled by Indigenous. Translation: The Huarochirí Manuscript: A Testament of Ancient and Colonial Andean Religion, trans. by Frank Salomon and George L. Urioste
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Nueva Corónica y Buen Gobierno by Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala (1615) - A firsthand Indigenous account of Inca society and the early colonial period.
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The First New Chronicle and Good Government (Nueva Corónica y Buen Gobierno) - Publisher: University of Texas Press
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Relaciones Geográficas del Perú (1570s–1590s) - Spanish colonial questionnaires answered by local Indigenous leaders and scribes across Peru. Available through: Latin American Library at Tulane University, various digitized archives.
2. Inca Oral Histories Preserved by Spanish Chroniclers
Though biased, Spanish chroniclers wrote down Incan oral histories told to them by surviving nobility and oral historians (amautas):
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Royal Commentaries of the Incas by Garcilaso de la Vega (1609) - Recommended Edition: The Incas: Royal Commentaries of the Inca, Part One.
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Chronicles of the Incas by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (1572) - Commissioned by the Spanish Crown to document Inca history from the perspective of native informants. - English Translation: History of the Incas (translated by Brian S. Bauer and Vania Smith)
3. Mapuche and Southern Tribes
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Chronicles from the Arauco War (16th–18th centuries) - Spanish military leaders and missionaries wrote about their conflicts with the Mapuche.
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Testimony from Mapuche Orators (modern transcription of oral traditions. - Preserves the Mapuche worldview, cosmology, and political strategies.
4. Caribbean and Amazonian Sources (Northern South America)
Early Accounts of the Arawak, Taino, and Carib Peoples
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Christopher Columbus' Journals (1492–1493) – problematic, due to being rewritten by friar, but contain early descriptions of Caribbean societies.
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Bartolomé de Las Casas' Apologética Historia Sumaria – defends Indigenous rights; offers early observations of Caribbean tribes.
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Hans Staden's True History (1557) – a German explorer's account of captivity among the Tupinambá of Brazil.
Missionary and Jesuit Reports (1600s–1700s)
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Recorded detailed ethnographies of Amazonian and Andean tribes.
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Notably: Father Gaspar de Carvajal’s Report of the Discovery of the Amazon (1542) – details cultures along the Amazon River.
5. Archaeological and Epigraphic Data as Primary Evidence
While not written documents, many cultures like the Inca, Wari, and Chavín left architectural, visual, and symbolic records, including:
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Quipus (khipus) – Inca knotted-string records. - Research by Gary Urton and Harvard's Khipu Database Project. (http://khipukamayuq.fas.harvard.edu)
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Chavín Temple Carvings, Tiwanaku Monoliths, and Wari Urban Plans – serve as visual, architectural texts. (British Museum, Museo Larco in Lima).
6. Digitized Repositories & Archives
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Latin American Digital Initiatives (LADI): https://ladi.lib.utexas.edu – Collections of colonial-era indigenous and Afro-Latin American documents.
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World Digital Library – Pre-Columbian Manuscripts - https://www.wdl.org/en/search/?q=inca
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Library of Congress – Handbook of South American Indians (1946–51) - Digitized on Archive.org – includes maps, linguistic studies, and primary data
Chapter #15 & 16: Caribbean Tribes
Video Lesson
WEEK 4: Living Books
Caribbean Native Tribes and Cultures
Topics: Caribbean Indigenous Tribes
K–5th Grade
• Caribbean Dream by Rachel Isadora – A gentle poem/picture book honoring the beauty and rhythm of the islands.
6th–8th Grade
• The Tainos: Rise & Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus by Irving Rouse – Accessible chapters on Caribbean tribes.
• Taíno Mythology: An Enthralling Guide to the Myths and Folklore of the Taínos by Billy Wellman - Before any European set foot on the shores.
9th–12th Grade
• Mapping Indigenous Land: Native Land Grants in Colonial New Spain - By Ana Rull – Deeper insight into Kalinago, Taíno, and Arawak heritage.
• The Caribs - By Captivating History – The Caribs were a fierce and resilient Indigenous people who lived in the Caribbean when Columbus first sailed into history.
Week #4 - Source and Primary Documents
1. Primary Eyewitness Accounts from the Age of Exploration
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Christopher Columbus’s Journals (1492–1503) - His accounts are biased, rewritten by Bartolomé and shaped by his political motives, but they are still primary sources. Translation: The Diario of Christopher Columbus’s First Voyage to America (1492–1493), trans. by Oliver Dunn and James E. Kelley
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Bartolomé de Las Casas – Apologética Historia Sumaria and A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies (1542) = Las Casas was a Spanish Dominican friar who documented and defended the rights of the Taíno and other Caribbean peoples.
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Peter Martyr d'Anghiera – De Orbe Novo (1511–1530) - Italian historian at the Spanish court; collected interviews and letters from explorers.
De Orbe Novo: The Eight Decades of Peter Martyr D'Anghiera, translated by Francis Augustus MacNutt
2. Archaeological Reports and Primary Cultural Evidence
The Sites of Caguana and La Hueca (Puerto Rico)
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Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site is a major Taíno archaeological site. Reveals primary evidence of Taíno cosmology, stone carving, and ball games.
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Taíno Zemis (Religious Sculptures): Found in Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. Many are held in the Smithsonian Institution, the British Museum
3. Taíno and Kalinago Oral Histories & Revivals
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Contemporary Taíno and Kalinago Communities = Although European colonization was devastating, descendant communities still exist in the Caribbeans.
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Jean-Baptiste du Tertre – Histoire Générale des Antilles (1654–1671) - French missionary account describing Kalinago, customs, and belief systems.
4. Linguistic and Ethnographic Sources
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Kalina (Carib) and Taíno Dictionaries and Wordlists
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Raimundo Pané – Spanish friar who lived among the Taíno and compiled their religious beliefs and vocabulary.
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“Taíno: A Novel” by José Barreiro (also includes cultural footnotes from actual oral traditions)
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5. Museum Collections and Digital Archives
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Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC): Includes scanned manuscripts, maps, and articles from Caribbean scholars and archives.
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Caribbean Indigenous Legacies Project (NMAI Smithsonian): Excellent for exploring archaeology, oral traditions, and descendant community voices.
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Museo del Hombre Dominicano (Santo Domingo): Online and physical exhibits with original Taíno artifacts, bones, and sculptures.